MAHWAH, NJ – The Rowan University volleyball team swept Ramapo College in three straight sets in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Tuesday night. The Profs move to 10-4 (1-1 NJAC) on the season, while the Roadrunners fall to 4-7 (1-1 NJAC).
Rowan jumped out to an early 5-2 lead in the first set. Outside hitter
Kailey Gallagher (jr. Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) scored the first point for the Brown and Gold, followed by three kills from outside hitter
Megan Jacobi (jr. Nazareth, PA/Nazareth Area) and an ace from middle hitter
Jamie Shirtz (sr. Mendham, NJ/West Morris Mendham). The Profs maintained its advantage and built a comfortable gap after a six-point run, to set the score at 18-11. Rowan closed out the first by a final score of 25-18.
The second set was a battle up until the final point. Both sides kept the score close for the first half of the set. Ramapo pulled away, 16-12 after it rallied off five consecutive points. The Brown and Gold paced back to claim a 20-18 lead, after three straight Roadrunner errors. Ramapo took a slight edge, 24-23 after middle hitter Nathalie Ortiz (jr. New Milford, NJ/New Milford) smashed down a kill. Rowan never gave up, as it recorded the next three points off a kill from Gallagher, a Ramapo error and an ace from setter
Alaina Santacroce (fr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) to win, 26-24.
Rowan dominated the final set from start to finish. The Profs jumped out to an 8-4 advantage after a five-point run. Jacobi contributed two kills, while middle hitter
Lauren Horbacewicz (so. Toms River, NJ/Toms River E.) added one and Santacroce tallied an ace. The Brown and Gold's offense kept rolling as the lead was extended to 18-8. Ramapo fought back and cut the deficit to 18-15. Middle hitter Samantha Main (jr. Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn) started the seven-point swing with a kill, followed by a Prof error. Outside hitter Felicia Jimenez (jr. Jersey City, NJ/McNair Academy) kept things going with two aces and middle hitter Aniella Bednarz (fr. Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Law) notched a kill. The final two points for Ramapo were off a block from Main and Bednarz and a kill from outside hitter Morgan Ridgway (jr. Barneget, NJ/Barneget). Rowan buckled down and held onto the lead to win, 25-18.
Jacobi finished with a team-high eight kills, while Gallagher tallied seven. Setter
Tori Mock (so. Chadds Ford, PA/Archmere Academy) handed out 14 assists and Santacroce recorded nine. Defensive specialist
Kristin Akin (sr. Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) racked up 15 digs and outside hitter
Erin Keegan (sr. Fairfield, NJ/Fairfield) added 13.
The Rowan volleyball team comes back home where it faces NJAC rival William Paterson University on Thursday, Sept. 20, with the match slated to start at 7 p.m.
.
